Neil Patrick Harris, Elton John Take Their Babies Yachting

After a cruise along the Italian Mediterranean that included a stop in Portofino for gelato, Elton John and his family played host to their close pals Neil Patrick Harris and his family in the South of France on Thursday. Harris, 38, and partner David Burtka shared the task of carrying 10-month-old twins Gideon Scott and Harper Grace from Sir Elton’s yacht, while John’s partner, David Furnish, kept grip on the couple’s own 7-month-old son, Zachary.

“It took a bit of organization,” one source tells PEOPLE, “because they had to come ashore by launch. And that has to be done very carefully with infants.”

After arranging the three children in sun caps and pint-sized life jackets, the group disembarked their yacht, loaded up a Zodiac craft from St. Tropez beach restaurant Club 55 at noon and sailed to the wooden pier at Pampelonne Beach – where dozens of locals had gathered to see them come ashore.

After several hours at lunch, they returned to their yacht. Later, Harris and Burka were spotted sunbathing onboard.

As the How I Met Your Mother star and celebrated Tonys host happily Tweeted: “The family and I are having one of the best weeks of our lives.”

And then, plugging his new movie, he added, “Oh, and go see Smurfs. Xoxo”